Italy is the latest beneficiary of the huge snowfalls that have blessed Europe for the past two months.
Many resorts including Cortina have received up to 1.5 metres (five feet) of snow over the past few days causing travel problems in the region, but setting the area up for great skiing in December and January.
Heavy snow of up to a metre has fallen over the past week in the Alps, bringing snow-depths at the start of the season as high as three metres (ten feet).
The Pyrenees, also off to their best start in many years, have seen still more substantial falls in recent days.
In North America, Colorado has at last had some good falls of snow with Vail reporting two feet (60cm) earlier this week but on the West Coast they are still waiting better conditions.
In Canada Alberta continues to have the best of the snow with a further 20cm (eight inches) falling on Monday night at Banff.